Through Purgatory
by THIboxNK
Summary: When they die, Chrono and Rosette are sent through the gate when Scar activiates the array in Ishbal. Now, with the help of the Elric brothers, they must find their way back home. CxR, EdxWin FMA crossover. DISCONTINUED.
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: I'll give you a hint: I'm writing a disclaimer. If you still think that I own either Chrono Crusade of Fullmetal Alchemist, than you're mentally challenged._

**Chapter One- The Gate Not of Heaven**

She remembered once that she heard from Chrono how that, when you die, you rejoin all the dead as astral energy. But now, as she stood before the towering gate, that same devil at her side, she wasn't so sure he had been right.

_Where are we?_ she tried to ask, but her voice never left her throat. She faced Chrono, who seemed to be having the same problem, as he was mouthing words to her she didn't understand.

_What?_ she asked him silently. _Chrono, what are you trying to tell me?_

Suddenly, the doors to the gate opened, and small, black things reached out at them. She tried to resist their pull, but soon they had both her and Chrono wrapped up tightly, and she felt a horrible scraping against her skin as the things pried at her limbs.

She made a strangled noise in her throat, and she tried to find Chrono near her. She located him not to far away from her, but she was shocked to see that he was in his original form, instead of the normal childlike form he took on to conserve his astral energy.

Then, a small scream escaped her throat as the small creatures ripped away Chrono's left arm, and his shout of pain echoed in her ears. Soon, though, she neither saw nor heard anything as blackness overtook her world.

………………

He had finally done it. Scar had finally done it. In Lior, the giant transmutation circle activated just as the soldiers flooded into the city. He almost smiled; the thought of those military dogs finally meeting their demise pleased him.

Despite that, he did have one concern: what would happen to Alphonse Elric? In the time they had known each other- however short- Scar had come to a grudging respect for the young boy. He had known pain more than that of anyone else. The pain of not being able to feel…

That was the real reason he was now creating the Philosopher's Stone in him. There was no other person on this earth who was deserving of it as much as Alphonse Elric, who loved his brother more than the entire world despite Edward's mistakes.

So now, although his final act alive was a mass slaughter, Scar could not help but finally feel free of all the guilt that had plagued him.

But, right as the last breath left his body, he saw a large gate appear before him. Its doors opened, and it took him in. He saw before him two people, leaning against each other, resting peacefully. Then, he heard the gate whispering in his ear:

_This is your equivalent exchange._

………………

Ed rushed into the remains of Lior, hoping beyond all hope that he would find a survivor. As he wandered the barren desert, he was a huge pile of sand, from which a small hand was sticking out of.

Panicking, Ed grabbed the person's hand and pulled them toward him. Then, the sand fell away from the form, and revealed there to be, not one, but two people and a large suit of armor laying there.

Recognizing one of them immediately, Ed simply dropped the girl he had pulled from the sand and rushed towards the armor, which was rolled almost completely on top of another figure with long purple hair, whose face Ed couldn't see. "Al?" asked Ed concernedly.

The armor's head lifted to face the short blond boy. "Brother…?" then, suddenly, it hopped out of the pile of sand it had been laying in and away from Ed. "Ah! Get away from me, brother! I'm gonna explode any minute!" It paused. "Uh…"

"Okay," said Ed slowly. "I have no idea what you're talking about, but…"

"Oh! Well, first, Kimbley turned me into a bomb, and he told Scar that if he turned me into something else he could save me, and then Scar put his arm on me and then it was like his arm WAS me, and…"

"Al," interrupted Ed, "open up your chest plate."

"But, brother, why?"

"Just do it, Al," commanded his older brother impatiently.

Doing as his brother said, Al's metaphorical eyes widened. "Brother…" he gasped, "what is this?"

"Al, Scar drew a huge transmutation circle all around Lior. Just a few minutes ago, Archer sent in his men, and Scar activated the circle. Scar had been trying to make the Philosopher's Stone… but he didn't make it in his own body," explained Ed, clenching his fists tightly together in rage.

"Brother, do you mean that… I'm the Philosopher's Stone?"

………………

When he woke, Chrono found that he couldn't move. His entire body ached, especially his left arm and shoulders, which had just recently healed from when those things inside the Gate had taken it. It had been incredibly difficult to regenerate, but Chrono found himself shocked he could at all.

For the truth was, he sincerely remembered dieing.

After a moment, Chrono seemed to gain some semblance of control over his body, and finally could hear what was happening around him.

"…transmutation circle all around Lior. Just a few minutes ago, Archer sent in his men, and Scar activated the circle. Scar had been trying to make the Philosopher's Stone… but he didn't make it in his own body."

"Brother, do you mean that… I'm the Philosopher's Stone?"

Chrono's thoughts were racing; transmutation circle, Philosopher's Stone? Neither of those things sounded familiar. And where in the world was Lior; he had traveled much in his long life, and had never heard of it. And who exactly were "Scar" and "Archer"?

Groggily, Chrono opened his eyes, and was shocked to see a very short blonde boy, whose hair was tied back in a braid that fell down to his mid-back, with golden eyes that held a very familiar emotion to Chrono: regret. He wore black boots, leather pants, a black tank top, a black jacket, and white gloves despite the blistering heat of the desert, and his companion was even more unusual. He wore a complex suit of armor, which had on a loincloth and what appeared to be a long feather sticking out of his head.

Although the strangers didn't frighten him, Chrono couldn't push back a strong fear that gripped him when he realized he couldn't find Rosette; with his movement limited from his still weak limbs, Chrono wasn't sure he would be able to face off against even a minor threat.

Grunting with the effort, Chrono pushed himself up into a sitting position, and the two strangers whirled around to face him. The blonde's eyes widened, before they narrowed and he glared at Chrono.

"Who the hell are you? _What_ the hell are you?" Ed asked angrily.

Ignoring him, Chrono's eyes scanned the surrounding area, only to find Rosette laying on the ground, still unconscious, laying face down in the sandy ground. Crawling over to her, Chrono wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her up to face him.

He looked over her, trying to see if she was injured in any way. Suddenly, his eyes stopped on the watch that marked their contract. It was still ticking, and had barely used up any of the time.

Chrono felt Rosette stirring in his arms, and her blue eyes blinked up at him. "C-Chrono?" asked the sister wearily. "What happened? I thought that…."

"So did I," answered Chrono, "but I guess that He had other plans for us."

Smiling at him gently, before her eyes widened. "Chrono," she breathed, "your horns… they're back!"

"What?" murmured Chrono. Lifting his hand up, he felt that his horns were, indeed, back. Not only that, he finally realized the weight of his wings and recognized that he was in his original form.

"But, Rosette, the watch- it's still sealed," Chrono pointed out.

Smiling, Rosette nodded. "With your horns back, I guess you don't need me to use your power anymore. Maybe that broke the contract."

Chrono shook his head. "No, it wouldn't. But… what about that Gate we passed through?"

Finally, Ed brought their attention back to him. "HELLO!" he shouted. "Could you please stop ignoring me please and tell me what the hell is going on here, who the hell you are, and how the HELL you got here!"

Rosette glared at the short alchemist. "You don't have to be so rude, you know," she pointed out. Grinning, she asked, "Or is your temper just as short as you are?"

Ed snapped. "WHO ARE YOU CALLING SO SHORT THAT HE COULDN'T EVEN PROVIDE ENOUGH SHADE TO KEPP AN AMOEBA FROM GETTING A SUNBURN!"

"Brother," Al soothed, "I'm sure she didn't really mean it like that."

"What are you talking about! Of course she meant it like that! She reminds me of that no good Mustang!"

"Who are you calling a horse!"

"Now, now, Rosette, no need to bite the poor kid's head off…"

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A KID!"

"Urgh…"

"Brother, calm down--!"

"Well, what do we have here?" came a voice from off to the side of the arguing parties. Instantly, Ed recognized her.

"Lust! What are you doing here?" Ed cried.

"I'm here to warm you boys to leave. The State will be looking for you, as will my… comrades. It would be best for you to leave," she said coolly.

Chrono and Rosette simply stared at the woman; they both got a bad feeling off of her. It reminded Chrono of a devil's aura, but it wasn't quite the same, it seemed somehow more… dead. Chrono tightened his grip on Rosette.

"And why aren't you coming after us, huh?" Ed called, seeming to have forgotten about Chrono and Rosette.

A soft sound of realization came from Al, and he lifted the necklace Scar had attached to his armor up, just enough for Ed to see it. He understood.

"Come on, Al," he said, walking away from both Lust and Chrono and Rosette. The suit of armor followed after his older brother without hesitation.

Lust sent a curious glance Chrono and Rosette's way, before she too left.

Standing up slowly, Chrono lifted rosette up off the ground with him. He let go of her hesitantly, not sure if she could yet support himself, but reassured when she didn't immediately collapse.

"Chrono," she said thoughtfully, "it would probably be better for both of us if you changed into your other form- so you don't stick out quite as much."

Nodding at his former contractor, Chrono concentrated on sending all of his astral energy solely into his horns, and weakening himself enough that he was able to take on his more childlike form.

Seeing that Rosette now stood a few inches taller than him, Chrono assumed that it had worked. "We should probably go after those two," Chrono suggested.

Rosette nodded, albeit reluctantly. "I guess you're right… though that midget is gonna drive me crazy… I guess that it'll all be alright if we do. After all, how likely is it we'll find someone else out here in the dessert?" asked the sister with a smile.

Chrono nodded. "Come on then; I have a feeling that they're not going to wait around for us if we don't catch up to them."

………………

To be Continued…

………………

A/N: It wasn't too long, but it wasn't really short either. Well, I hope that you all liked it, and that there weren't too many spelling or grammar mistakes. If there were, I'll try and fix them later on.

So, how did you like my first Chrono Crusade fanfic? I just finished watching the anime (it only took me four days of obsessive-compulsive viewing), and I can't get it out of my head! I love that series so much! Chrono is so awesome! And it was just such a compelling story with awesome characters. Rosette and Chrono are so obviously meant to be, that there can just never be enough fanfiction for them!

Well, please read and review. I might not update regularly, but I will try to update as often as possible (and seeing as I just about to start the most boring summer of my life, that might be more often than normal), so you all keep coming back.

Remember, reviews make the author update more!


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist or Chrono Crusade. If I did, Chrono and Rosette would have already been together, and there would be a larger center on Scar in FMA._

**Chapter Two**

As it turns out, for a midget and a suit of armor, the two Chrono and Rosette were following walked at a surprisingly fast pace; even after half an hour, they were doing nothing but following a faded set of foot prints.

"Ugh, this heat is gonna kill me!" Rosette whined. "We've gotta find some shade!"

"Um, Rosette… where are we gonna find shade in a barren desert wasteland with a total lack of civilization?" Chrono asked meekly.

Growling, Rosette turned to face her companion. "How would I know! All I do know is that I'm tired, hungry, and confused, and that I want to go home!"

Chrono- who was stunned at how much Rosette had resembled a five year old at that moment in time- couldn't help but understand where Rosette was coming from. They had no clue where they were, and he wasn't even sure how they were alive. "I know, Rosette," said Chrono soothingly, "but right now we just have to concentrate on finding that suit of armor and that short blond guy."

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A MIDGET THAT NEVER GREW UP BECAUSE HE DIDN'T DRINK HIS MILK?"

Both Chrono and Rosette were shocked to see that the blond boy was now speeding back at them, a look of fury on his face. His armor-clad brother chased after him, but wasn't anywhere near as fast and the Mighty Midget.

When Ed arrived in front of Chrono and Rosette, waving his arms around and stomping the ground while ranting about his height, Rosette couldn't help but say, "Wow, you run pretty fast, Mighty Midget."

Al, who had finally reached the others, grabbed his brother back before his transmute the sister into something nasty. Al tried to introduce himself over his brother's continual I-Am-Not-Short rants.

"Uh, hi! My name's (I'm still a growing boy, you know!) Alphonse Elric, and this is (For all any of you know, I could end up seven feet tall!) my older brother, Edward," said Al politely.

"And I'm," said the exorcist, "Sister Rosette Christopher. The purple haired twerp over there (Hey!) is Chrono."

Ed looked at her suspiciously. "'Sister?' You're not some whack job who thinks that she's been sent by "God" to save people, or something like that?" He asked, reminded instantly of Rose being called a Holy Mother.

"No, I'm a nun."

Ed simply stared at her.

"A nun: someone who lives at a convent to live for God and goes around wearing a hideous habit?"

Ed continued to stare at her.

"Okay, maybe you just didn't hear me: I am a Roman Catholic nun. I'm an exorcist from the Order of Magdalene's New York branch. I kill devils and demons. I like guns."

For a moment, Ed didn't say anything. Suddenly, something seemed to click in his head. "Where's New York?"

It was Rosette's turn to stare.

Ed glared at her. "You heard me: where's New York? And what do you mean Roman Catholic? Is that some new occult religion or something? And you say you're an exorcist? Are you crazy? There's no such thing as devils or demons! What nut house did you escape from?"

Rosette growled angrily at the alchemist. "Are you a retard or something? How could you have never heard of Roman Catholicism? Or NEW YORK! It's a state! People in Europe and Asia and Australia have heard of it, how can you not have!"

"What the hell are you talking about? Where are all the places you keep talking about: Asia? Australia? Europe? Where are you getting all of these names from?

Looking at Ed as if he were insane, Rosette yanked on her hair in frustration and let out a small scream of frustration. "UGH! What's going on? It seems that ever since we saw that gate thing, nothing has made sense anymore!"

Rosette continued to rant for a moment, before she noticed that the smaller blond was now just standing there, looking almost… fearful? "Um… hello? Are you alright?" She asked, waving a hand in front of his face.

Ed grabbed the girl's hand and held it tightly. His eyes were downcast as he asked her quietly. "You said that you saw a gate… explain." Although Ed prayed to himself that he was wrong, he couldn't shake the feeling that Rosette was talking about… _that_ Gate.

"And why do you wanna know?"

Ed tightened his grip and looked up and the girl angrily. "Look, just tell me!"

Rosette winced at his right hand's tight grip, before answering him. "Well, Chrono and I… we had left the Magdalene Order's NY branch because…"

Rosette looked over and Chrono- who had been standing on the sidelines with Al, watching the two fight with amusement- silently begging the devil for his help in explaining.

Sighing, Chrono took a step towards Edward, who shifted his golden gaze towards him. "Rosette was dying, and so was I; from a wound I had sustained while in battle with a demon named Aion.

"Almost four years earlier, Rosette had become my contractor…"

Al gazed at Chrono questioningly. "What do you mean by your contractor?"

"I guess that I'll have to explain our history in a bit more detail if I want them to understand…" Chrono mumbled to himself. "Okay, there's one thing you need to know for this to really make any sense at all: I'm a devil."

Ed stared at him, as if contemplating what he had said. "Well, I guess it's not the strangest thing anyone's ever told me," he said, thinking of the homunculi. Ed suppressed a shiver at the thought of Sloth, and the memories that came with her. "That would also explain your earlier appearance, and how you shifted it."

Chrono nodded, slightly surprised Ed had taken it so well. "Now, a devil's power is controlled and stored in his horns, so if they're broken off, the devil had no way to be able to access his power. But there is one other way a devil can get his power: from feeding off a human's soul, and that human's life. That is making a contract."

"So you were using her life just to get to your powers?" Ed called angrily, releasing Rosette's hand, and charging up to Chrono. He grabbed the devil (who was now the same height as him) by his collar and lifted him slightly off the ground. He raised his fist as if to hit him, and Chrono looked at him with a guilty look in his eyes. "How could you do that to anyone!"

Just as Ed was about to strike Chrono, a hand grabbed him and prevented him from doing so. He whirled around to see who it was that had stopped him, and dropped Chrono in the process.

Ed was surprised to see that it was Rosette standing there, looking at him with the same look in her eyes as Chrono. "Don't blame him," said Rosette softly. "It wasn't his decision. It was my idea to make the contract."

With wide eyes, Ed stepped away from Rosette. "But why would you do that!"

"Because Chrono was the only one who could save my little brother."

"Joshua had been given my horns by Aion, a devil I had worked with before in a group called the Sinners: a band of rogue demons who wished to take down Pandemonium, the devil who ruled over our dimension. He had taken them from me in an act of betrayal, and would've killed me, if I hadn't been saved by my first contractor," said Chrono from behind the shocked Ed. "For fifty years I stayed in her tomb, before Rosette and Joshua came and found me. They mean more to me than anything else in the world, and both Rosette and I desperately wanted to save Joshua…"

"So I made a contract with him so he could use his power to stop Joshua… but Joshua was still taken away by Aion. For years we hunted him down, until we found him. In the end, when we faced Aion, Chrono had managed to earlier break his horns off of Joshua, and used them to fight Aion. Chrono won, but he was badly wounded, and I was nearing the end of my time because he had used his power so much."

"I went with Rosette to a small cabin away from New York, where we lived for six months. Just when we were sure we were dead, we came before the gate you asked us about."

"It opened, and some freaky little _things_ came and grabbed us, and took us inside the gate. I'm not really sure what happened; I passed out after just a little while inside. All I know is that when I woke up I was in the middle of a dessert and I had no clue where the hell Chrono and I were."

For a moment, Ed was confused, before realization hit him:

They were from the other side of the Gate.

………………

"Colonel Mustang, I want you to consider those boys dangerous, wanted criminals. They should be captured with whatever force necessary; for now, they are to be considered responsible for the events in Lior. Also, there was a report of there being two civilians traveling with the Elrics. They are to also be detained for questioning. Good day," said Fuhrer King Bradley.

Roy saluted to the military head, trying to keep his face free of emotion as he watched the man walk away. For a moment he wondered if there was something seriously wrong with the Fuhrer; he had always seemed to like the young Elric brothers, and him suddenly considering them terrorists was troubling.

Brushing the thoughts away, he led his subordinated onto the train that would take them back to Central. From there, they would head to Risembool, and meet the two young alchemists there to find out what had really occurred in Lior.

………………

"So you really don't know what there connection to the Elrics is?" asked the homunculus impatiently.

"I've told you already, they were never with them before, and I didn't see them with either brother in Lior before that either; the two were completely unfamiliar to me. I'm not ever sure if they know the boys," said Lust from her place pinned to the wall of a train compartment.

"Either way, we will eventually find out; I've ordered them to be captured with the Elrics, so we'll know soon enough," replied Pride.

Lust didn't answer, and Pride didn't care.

………………

A/N: Here's an ironic fact for you: a reviewer (thank you for you review) asked me to make it longer. It's shorter this chapter. How pathetic is that… oh well, I guess that I can't expect to make it too long when it's eleven fifty-two at night while I type these notes, and I have two new obsessions: Naruto and Loveless.

Also, sorry I didn't update sooner; I know it's no excuse, but I guess that I'm actually busier in summer than I was in the school year: we didn't have to many hectic days, and I had no trouble with homework and the like, so I actually had more time to write (seeing as I spend all my time in the summer either a) watching TV b) using the internet c) spending time with family/friends or d) sleeping 'til one in the afternoon, I guess I haven't made time for writing).

One more (and slightly better) excuse: my best friend broke her hip, and I guess that I've been a little distracted. I did get to see her last Wednesday, but I guess it's a little panic-inducing. Good news: she is out of the hospital and having a grand time playing the Sims game all day. Lucky her.

Also, one more thing: **Who should I put Ed with?** Please put in your review who you think Ed should be with, whether it be Winry, Rose, or Roy! I'm open, as long as it isn't something completely and utterly unfathomable (like EdxPride- nothing there, people)!

Well, read and review!


	3. Chapter 3

_Disclaimer: I don't own Chrono Crusade or Fullmetal Alchemist. It's pretty obvious, especially since they're created by two different people, of which I am neither. If you honestly think that I am either of them, I suggest that you take up my offer of therapy._

**Chapter Three**

"But, Brother… what does that mean? They're supposed to be dead?" Al asked. "How could that happen?"

Ed wasn't sure how to answer; he wasn't really to tell his brother about the Gate. He knew that Al didn't remember it from their human transmutation, and he believed that, for now, that was for the best. "I-I don't know, Al," Ed told him. The lie hadn't come easily, but Ed tried to swat away his guilty feelings.

Rosette sighed. "Well great, now how the hell are we gonna get home?"

Shrugging helplessly, Ed responded, "I'm not really sure. Maybe if you could summon that Gate again you could go through again: maybe it would take you back to your home."

Smiling brightly at him, Rosette put her hand on the short boy's back. "Well, then, I guess we'll just have to go with you, then!"

"What!" Ed cried.

"Why?" Al asked curiously.

"Well, since Chrono and I have absolutely no clue where we are, our best chance of getting home would be to go with you two! That way, we'll have a place to stay while we try and figure something out," said Rosette. Chrono nodded in agreement.

"I'm not really sure that's a good idea," Al said. "Right now, we probably have the military looking for us."

Both Chrono and Rosette were confused. "Why would the military be looking for you two?" Chrono asked.

"Because I'm a State Alchemist- part of the military. The military will most likely want to question me about what happened in Lior," Ed replied.

"Okay!" Pause. "What's an alchemist? And where's Lior?"

Ed groaned. "You don't know anything, do you?" He sighed. "Okay, an alchemist is someone who practices and understands alchemy: it's the science of breaking down something and then turning it into something with similar materials. For example: you could turn a glass into a small glass figure, but not into a metal figure. The guiding rule of alchemy is equivalent exchange: to gain something, something of equal value must be lost."

"Okay," said Rosette. "And a State Alchemist?"

"Just an alchemist who is good enough to join the military with his or her skills; I myself joined the military at twelve- the youngest ever. I've been a State Alchemist for about three years, now," Ed informed her.

"Really! But that would make you fifteen! I thought you were thirteen, or something…" said Rosette in amazement.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A MIDGET THAT NEVER GREW UP BECAUSE HE DIDN'T DRINK HIS MILK!"

"I didn't say that, Ed."

Holding his brother back from killing Rosette, told her, "Lior is a desert town in the East where the people worship the sun god Leto."

Ed, who had calmed down, said sadly, "Or at least it was…"

Rosette was about to ask Ed what he meant when she felt a hand on her upper arm. She turned to see Chrono there. The little demon shook his head. "Now's not the time." Rosette nodded, and Chrono took his hand away. Rosette couldn't help but feel slightly sad at the loss of contact.

For a moment the four were silent, before Rosette asked, "Where are we going?"

………………

"I know you said that Risembool is a small down, but I'm pretty sure there are still roads that lead to it!" Rosette yelled angrily at Ed.

The trail they were walking on was nothing much but a patch of rocks near a river, which was surrounded by a large forest on each side. From what Rosette could tell, they were now going down hill, which mean that either Risembool was in a ditch, or they were climbing a mountain.

Rounding on Rosette, Ed growled, "You know when we told you the military would most likely be looking for us? Well, we don't want them to find us!"

What would have most likely become a shouting contest was interrupted when they heard voices from not too far away. "Get down!" Ed told Al as he transmuted some dirt and roots into a blanket to cover his brother.

Rosette probably would have taken time to interrogate Ed about the transmutation, but didn't have to chance to as Chrono pulled her into a nearby bush. Just as Ed was about to follow, he had a gun pointed at him.

Turning around, Ed instantly recognized Havoc, and Fury was standing not to far away. "Come with us without a fight, Ed, please. We don't want to hurt you," said Havoc.

Mover quicker than Havoc could keep up with, Ed brought his right arm up to capture the gun's end in his hand. Just as it seemed Havoc would pull the trigger, Ed told him, "If you shoot, who do you think will get hurt?"

Just as it seemed Havoc would stand down, Al jumped up from under the cover Ed transmuted for him. "Bother!" he called worriedly.

Havoc, shocked by Al's sudden appearance, accidentally triggered the gun. The bullet, ricocheting off of Ed's automail hand and destroying his glove in the process, shot back to hit Havoc in the hand, and then graze Fury enough to shatter his glasses, cutting up the skin around his right eye badly.

Surveying the scene with a slightly sense of guilt, Ed said plainly, "I told you not to shoot." Turning around, Ed walked past his younger brother, who then ran up to him and asked, "Shouldn't we help them?"

Ed shook his head. "The rest of Mustang's crew should be here as well. It won't take long for them to come after hearing gunfire. We should go. I'm not really sure why they're so desperate to take us with them, but I don't plan on getting caught." Ed put his hand on Al in a comforting gesture, and was about to say something else as they both suddenly had a vision of a huge, black gate, towering before them.

Suddenly, they were both shoved away from each other. Lifting himself off of the ground, Al said to his brother, "What was that, brother? Suddenly, I remember seeing it before." He paused for a moment before asking, "Was that the Gate that Chrono and Rosette were talking about?"

Ed stood up and brushed off the dirt from his clothes, taking his time before answering. "Yes," he said before turning and walking away.

Al ran up to his brother and asked, "If we've seen it before, why didn't you tell them earlier?"

"Because, Al, I don't know anything about it. I just don't want to tell them anything until I really know how to help them," he answered. Truthfully, that was only part of the reason; before he just hadn't wanted to tell Al about the Gate, and explain why and how he had seen it.

A memory from the night of their failed transmutation flashed in his mind. He could still see so clearly what they had gotten in exchange for everything they had lost: a mass of almost human parts, with a horrific face that haunted him 'til this day. But still, he would rather be faced with that then the monster that was Sloth…

He shook his head to clear it. Ed knew that thinking of the past wouldn't help him.

"Hey, wait up!" a familiar voice called. For a moment Ed couldn't place it, until he remembered that he and Al had left Rosette and Chrono behind. "Oops…" he muttered.

"Did you forget about us!" Rosette asked angrily as she caught up to the two Elrics. Ed nodded. Growling, Rosette fisted her hand together, and landed it directly in Ed's face.

Landing painfully on the ground a foot away, Ed brought up one hand to his now swollen cheek. "Hey, what did you do that for!"

Smirking, Rosette responded, "That was for leaving us behind."

Groaning, Ed was about to make some comment about the crazy blond women in his life when another voice called out, "Wow, Fullmetal, I thought we might have to use some force to bring you in, but someone else already beat you down for us."

Ed growled. "Colonel Bastard, how nice it is to see you!"

Out of the forest stepped several figures in military uniforms, and there were several men sitting on the side of a large rock, taking shelter in a place that would be safe from enemy fire. Ed instantly recognized Mustang, Hawkeye, and Armstrong. With them were two others in civilian clothes. "Winry? Schieszka?"

"Run, Ed!" Winry called.

But Ed didn't have time to run as Armstrong picked up one of the larger rocks, and hit it hard at Ed, transmuting it into a large, flying stalagmite. Mustang then brought up his ignition glove, and snapped. The rock Armstrong had hit at Ed now burst into a thousand smaller projectiles. Ed barely had time to transmute a wall to protect himself and his companions.

The wall, although it protected them well enough, shattered after being hit by the barrage of missile-like rocks, leaving Chrono, Rosette, Ed and Al unprotected.

Mustang took a step forward, a satisfied smirk on his face. "It's a great technique, isn't it? First, Armstrong shoots a hollow rock missile at you, and then I blow it up from the inside, creating a large number of deadly projectiles."

Ed glared at Mustang fiercely, but kept silent.

"You know," Mustang said, "I don't really care that the Fuhrer ordered us to catch us. No, I'm here because I'm pissed off!"

Ed was shocked at how emotional Mustang was. It seemed like he was actually worried about them! "Now, I just want to know… why the hell did you to leave without asking for my help first?"

………………

"So they still haven't been found?" a young girl asked.

"No, I'm sorry. Our only lead turned out to be nothing," said Sister Kate.

Sighing, Azmaria nodded sadly. "Alright," she said, "but you'll tell me if you have another lead, right?"

Sister Kate nodded. "Yes, you'll be the first to know."

"Thank you," Azmaria said, and then left the room.

Outside, Sister Claire was waiting for her. "Anything?" she asked. Azmaria shook her head. "Oh. I guess that I'll tell the others…" she said sadly.

"I'm sure we'll find her soon," said Azmaria comfortingly.

Sister Claire nodded, before heading off down the hallway.

For a moment, Azmaria stood there. Despite her words to Claire, she was losing the hope that she would ever see Rosette or Chrono again.

………………

A/N: It seems like my chapters are just getting shorter and shorter. Not by a significant amount, but still. This one is the shortest yet (about 1750 words). I have to say this story is a challenge for me: I don't often write full length stories, and the only one I posted I purposely ended badly because I hated what I was writing about. Although I know that that won't happened to this fic (I love CxR way too much to ever abandon it), it's still pretty hard for me to update too often. So far, almost all of my fics are one-shots, so please be patient with me. I'm trying really hard! Next time I'll try and make it a little longer, though.

Okay, so far it seems that almost everyone wants this to be an EdxWinry, and although I'm not a fan of it, I shall do what the people want. I'll give you until I post chapter four to make it official. Oh yeah, one more thing: the suggestions I made were random; you can vote to put Ed with anyone in the show, not just the three I listed! As long as the character you list isn't dead already, I'll count it.

Please read and review!


	4. Chapter 4

_Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist of Chrono Crusade. I've already said that three times. If you didn't get the message by now, I'll have to assume you are a retard. That's really the only excuse for not knowing I down own them. Otherwise, you are simply an idiot._

**Chapter Four**

In the Old District of Central, two women walked on one of the old brick streets. One of the women, pale with dark hair, wore a simple maroon dress and boots; she led the other woman, whose long brown hair and pink bangs were covered by a tan veil, matching the simple tan dress she wore. In her arms, she carried a baby boy.

"Something wrong?" the first woman, Lira, asked the other.

The second woman, Rose, looked around nervously. There were people all around them, wearing rags and gathered around small fires that had been set in trash bins; this place seemed to be infected with poverty. Rose shook her head. "No, I was just wondering if the others got away safely."

"There are many diversified towns in the East where they could blend in with the population," answered Lira. Rose smiled softly. "But," Lira continued, "you are considered responsible for the revolt in Lior." Rose looked at the ground in shame. "They'll be looking for you."

Not much longer afterwards, they came up to a crumbling old building, with broken windows and a door that was barely on its hinges. "It looks like a temple of our god, Leto," Rose mused.

"No," Lira responded. "It belongs to a far more ancient religion… one that was abandoned long ago."

Stopping in front of an alter, Lira clapped her hands together, as if praying. Suddenly, the broken glass of one of the windows came back up together, forming a transmutation circle.

Part of the alter suddenly opened up; Lira gestured for Rose to go down the path it revealed. Stepping down carefully, Rose listened intently as Lira continued her narration.

"They recognized only one God; that in all other beliefs is heresy. It seems they had quite a following… Because of their intolerance, a great many people died…"

"How terrible," said Rose, "religion is meant to save us."

"That's what happens when people try to become God," Lira responded with a smile.

Suddenly, Rose's baby started to cry. "Hush, my darling…" she soothed. "Everything is going to be fine now, we're safe…"

………………

Pacing back and forth, Sloth asked in an annoyed tone, "Why did you let them go?"

Lust, who had once again been attached to a wall, was held up by only three spikes: one in each her arms and another through the seal on her chest. Glaring at the other homunculus, she retorted, "I believe taking care of those to boys was your jobs; yours and Wrath's, that is…"

"Don't worry, I will," said Wrath.

Ignoring Wrath's comment, Sloth responded, "Yes, but we didn't go against the direct orders of our Master."

"I thought that you of all people would understand my reasons," said Lust.

"I do understand," Sloth said softly. "You wish to be human. You think you're the only one? We were all born with that goal in mind."

Suddenly, the door to the large chamber they were in started to open. Wrath whimpered softly. "They have arrived…" Sloth murmured.

Rose's eyes widened: before her were three of the homunculus, bowed before her and Lira, while another, pinned to the wall, lowered her head in the best bow possible from her position.

………………

"Why the hell did you two leave without asking for my help first!"

Ed stared at Mustang, before smirking at him. He had just openly admitted to being worried about Ed and Al- something the stubborn man normally wouldn't be caught dead doing. Realizing his slip, Mustang's face flushed in embarrassment.

Coming up behind him, and effectively crushing the awkwardness of the moment, Armstrong laid a hand on Mustang's shoulder. "Tell us boys, what exactly happened in Lior?"

Ed and Al glanced at each other, before Al answered. "Fuhrer King Bradley… is a homunculus."

For a moment, everyone was stunned into silence. Falman was the first to regain his voice. "When you say the word homunculus, you mean like… an artificial human?"

Ed nodded. "They're after the Philosopher's Stone, and they're pulling all the strings in the military."

"It can't be true," Roy muttered.

"But the Fuhrer had no idea about the experiments going on in Lab 5! The military was being infiltrated without his knowledge!" shouted Armstrong.

"He had the mark of the Ouroboros! I saw it myself," said Al.

"You told us about a homunculus with the ability to shape shift," Armstrong countered.

"The Fuhrer's secretary is a homunculus to," Ed stated stonily.

"I thought she was an alien," muttered Schieszka.

"If that's true, and the Fuhrer and Miss Douglas are homunculi inside the military, what purpose do they serve? What is it they hope to gain?" asked Hawkeye.

It was then that more soldiers arrive on the seen. Leaning down, Armstrong asked Mustang quietly, "Do you want me to produce false information and lead them back through Lior to keep attention away from Central?"

"Do it," Mustang said.

"You'll go to Risembool?" Armstrong asked. Mustang nodded. Backing away from the colonel, Armstrong headed over to the group of soldiers.

"Men, our mission is complete! We can return to Central with out heads held high!" he shouted cheerily, and pink sparkles seemed to sprout up around him.

"But aren't you supposed to keep an eye on the Colonel?" asked one soldier hesitantly.

Armstrong eyed to the soldier, before tearing off his shirt and flexing his muscles. "Do you doubt the integrity of a man whose muscles can do _this_?"

The soldiers backed away, "No, Major, that's not it!"

"I'll SHOW you what they can do!" And he did. What he did is too disturbing to write out in words.

………………

Throughout the conversation, both Chrono and Rosette stayed off to the side. They had no place with these people, and no matter how curious they were, their questions would have to wait until later, when they could speak to Ed alone.

"Chrono," asked Rosette quietly, "how are we going to get home? From what I can tell, we're in a completely different world; I didn't even know that was possible."

Chrono sighed and shook his head. "Neither did I…" he said. "But I know that, if there is a way to get here, then there must be a way to get back. And if there's a way to get back, we'll find it," he told Rosette with a smile.

Rosette smiled back at him. "Thanks, Chrono, for making me feel better." Blushing slightly, Rosette said, "I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have you with me…"

Rosette looked away, not really wanting to see how Chrono reacted to her comment, and was surprised when she felt another hand slip into hers. "Same here, Rosette."

………………

The group progressed slowly, with the military, still holding Winry and Schieszka up front, Ed and Al following them, and Chrono and Rosette staying a safe distance away from them, as the avoid being questioned.

"So, how is Lieutenant Havoc doing?" Ed asked Breda softly. He was afraid that he may have grievously injured the man.

"He was sent back already with Fury; they're both fine," Breda informed him.

Ed smiled and looked away. "I'm glad."

Winry, who had been watching Ed intently for the last minute, asked him curiously, "Hey, Ed, what happened to you pocket watch?"

"So it seems you really have forsaken the military," said Hawkeye, "if you've already taken off you pocket watch."

"No, it's not that!" insisted Ed. "I gave it to Kimbley and I never got it back."

"Well that's odd," Hawkeye said. "We told Al to give it to you."

Ed looked over to Al, who suddenly looked very guilty. "U-u-uh… W-well, you see brother, it's just that… Kimbley threw it at Scar and all the red stones came out of it and the Scar's arm absorbed them, and… there was nothing I could do!" Al squeaked.

"And why were there red stones in my state-issued watch?" Ed asked dangerously.

"Kimbley uses that technique to make more alchemy amplifying devices," Roy said. "When we were crushing the rebellion in Ishbal, the Brigadier General ordered us to use the stones. I had no idea that they were using human beings to--"

Roy was cut off when Ed grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and growled at him, "You knew that the military had made a partial Philosopher's Stone, and you waited until now to tell me! You knew what it took to make that damn stone, and you STILL let us search for it!"

"Brother, stop!" Al called out, reaching over to grab his brother on the shoulder. Al's arm started to glow red at the contact, and he was blown back into the water.

Ed's eyes widened. "AL!" he cried out. "AL!" He rushed towards the shore, only to be stopped when he saw his brother leaping out of the water, sparkling in a way that was reminiscent of Armstrong.

Landing back in the water, Al waved his hand in the air and called out, "Brother, brother! I can swim, I can swim!" before he began to sink.

"You idiot!" Ed yelled, before wading into the water to retrieve his brother.

When Al was safely ashore, Roy approached the two Elrics. "I thought that if it ever got to wet, that blood seal of yours would wash off."

"Yeah, so did I," responded Ed.

"I guess we don't have to worry about that anymore," Al said in a relieved tone. Lifting up his helmet/head, he continued, "I guess it's because of the Philosopher's Stone."

No one noticed the gasps of Chrono and Rosette when the saw that Al's armor was empty. Rosette decided to store her questions in her new list of things-to-interrogate-the-Mighty-Midget-about-later.

"Okay, you made your point! Put it back, put it back!" Ed said to his brother, waving his hands around in a panic. Al quickly obeyed.

"What's because of the Philosopher's Stone?" Hawkeye asked suspiciously.

"Uh, n-nothing! J-just and inside joke!" Ed stuttered. Turning around, Ed started walking again. "C-come on; let's go!"

Although no one really believed him, no one questioned him about, and they continued walking again towards the Rockbell's.

For the most part, the journey was uneventful, until the group came across a man walking past them on a dirt road. All of them quickly dove for cover, until Hawkeye asked, "Isn't that Sergeant Block? Is he after Ed and Al?"

"Oh, no!" Winry assured her, "He came here with Lieutenant Ross to warn them; he's good."

Walking out onto the road, it was only then they realized he was crying- bawling, more accurately. "What's wrong, Sergeant?" Winry asked.

He sniffed pathetically, "I'm dead her eyes," he muttered, "I'm dead in her eyes!"

………………

"A long time ago, I saw a bird with wings as black as obsidian; it's the exact same color as your hair. Thank you, for bring back such a beautiful memory to me," A man with long blond hair, tied back in a ponytail, whose golden eyes where slightly hidden behind a pair of glasses, spoke to a flustered Lieutenant Ross.

"What a kind thing to say," she said, blushing.

Off to the side, hidden in nearby bushes on the Rockbell property, Winry asked Mustang in an annoyed voice, "Aren't there more important things for us to do?"

"More important than love?" he countered.

Off to the side, Al commented, "He looks familiar. Don't you think so, Brother? … Brother?"

Al glanced around, only to realize that his brother was gone, and was now charging at the deck of the Rockbell's house with an infuriated lock on his face. He leapt up and onto the porch and slammed his fist into the blond man's face; he landed on the ground a few feet off of the deck. "You're gone for ten years and I come home to that! Damn you, old man!" he shouted.

Al gasped, "Dad?"

………………

A/N: I so sorry I haven't updated in so long! But, just to thank you all for waiting, I've written the longest chapter yet: 1985 words, not including author's notes or the disclaimer. Although it isn't the longest chapter ever, I tried really hard writing this: much of the dialogue from the episode comes directly from the episode of FMA _Hoenheim of Light_. Although I didn't write out the entire episode, I wrote out as much of it as I could and still have it all fit in a chapter.

Once again, I apologize for taking so long to update. I'll try and update the next chapter as soon as possible. So, don't forget to read and review, because the more reviews I get, the faster I'll update. That's just how I work.

Oh yeah, one more thing! On the pairing with Ed, so far it looks that it will most likely be EdWinry. Although I don't read the pairing myself, if that's what you all really want I guess I'll do it. The only one I straight out won't do is the triangle, because I a) don't like it, and b) can barely write already-in-love, and I really can't do the falling-in-love thing so good. Sorry about that. Oh yeah, and thank you to the reviewer who was brave enough to suggest EdRoy! Although I won't write it unless at least three more people ask for it, I appreciate someone being brave enough to actually say that would make a good pairing!


	5. Chapter 5

_Disclaimer: I do not own Chrono Crusade or Fullmetal Alchemist. Obviously._

**Chapter Five**

From his place behind Rosette (who was in turn behind a tree, which was behind Winry, who was behind Roy, who was behind a bush), Chrono barely caught Al's quiet murmur of, "Dad!" Figuring it was safe to assume the person he was referring two was the man Ed had just attacked, Chrono mused on the short alchemist's earlier statement.

"_You're gone ten years and I come home to that!"_

Chrono could only guess what was going on between the two. He could tell that from Ed's side there was hatred, and, although it was faint, a slight joy. From his father's side… regret: choking, killing regret. Obviously, this man had done a great sin against his family in the past. Chrono could relate to him: the pain of _causing_ pain to the one you loved is worse than if you yourself had had that pain inflicted upon you.

It seemed as though Ed and his father would have many issues to work out…

It was only in that moment that Chrono realized just how little they knew about Ed and Al; they had placed their hope of ever getting home in the hands of these two boys, trusted them with their entire life's story, and yet they still knew almost nothing about the Elric brothers.

Chrono's thoughts were interrupted when he heard the loud clanking of Al's armor, signaling the youngest Elric was on the move. Chrono watched with pity as Al's run slowed, as he must have realized there was almost no chance that his father would recognize him in his current form.

"I know you might not recognize me, but…" said Al.

"Alphonse," said the man with a smile, "you sure have gotten taller."

Sighing happily, Al fondly said, "Dad…"

………………

"Hey, Chrono," Rosette said, turning to look back at the small demon. "What the heck's going on?"

Chrono shrugged. "I don't know any more than you do," he told her.

Rosette sighed angrily. "That's one more thing to put on my list of things to beat out of the Mighty Midget later…" she muttered to herself.

"What?"

"Nothing!"

………………

Later that evening, the table was stacked with delicious looking food, and many hungry people were sitting around it; only Hoenheim (whose name Chrono had picked up from random snippets of conversation) wasn't present, as he had been banned from the house by Edward.

"I still can't believe you were flirting with him," Ed said.

"I was doing no such thing!" Lieut. Ross insisted, blushing madly while fingering her bread. "I was simply having a polite conversation with that man!"

"You sure looked like you were enjoying it," Winry said with a small laugh.

"Uh, it was just the cologne he was wearing," she said, face still flushed. "No soldier I know wears cologne…"

"Maybe the soldiers _you _know don't want to smell like _flowery sissy boys_!" Sergeant Bloch said from his position next to her, sobbing pathetically.

"And just what's wrong with you?" asked Ross.

Bloch simply broke down the on the table.

………………

It was cold. Around her she could see small dancing figures, and they taunted her, coming closer to her so they were just close enough to scratch their small clawed hands across her skin. It was then she realized the cold was her terror, chilling her from the inside so that even the blood that ran down her arms and legs seemed frosty.

"Help me," she whimpered. "Somebody…. Anybody... help me…."

………………

Ewan Remington stood silently in front of the alter found in the Magdalene Order's New York branch's church building, staring at the large crucifix that was behind it, showing the pained face of Christ as he breathed his last on the cross.

"What are you planning?" he asked quietly. "And now, what will your will cost humanity? The economy is failing, and soon the tension will cause friction between the countries. War is on the horizon….

"When the time comes, will humanity survive the chaos? Or have you finally decided to abandon your people. We are missing our strongest allies, and soon even our Magdalene Order will fall to pieces."

He turned his eyes down, clenching his fists. His fingernails cut into his palms and blood dribbles down his fingers, dripping down onto the white tile floor. "The devils will rise, and soon all people will die…. We need them…."

Gathering his courage, he looked up and stared the image of Christ in the eye. "I no longer have you grace, but please… give me one more hint…. Let me find them!"

His voice echoed through the room, and when it finally ceased, it left a crushing silence in his wake. Ewan hung his head. It seemed he had been ignored once again.

He turned from the alter, and headed down the small isle between the rows of pews. He opened the doors to the church, and stared out and the night sky sadly. It was only then that he noticed….

Above him in the sky he saw the Astral Lines, pulsing and swirling around in irregular and erratic patterns. His eyebrow furrowed together; normally the astral lines flowed along smoothly in a predicted course, almost like a river follows its carved path to the sea, but now… it was like wild currents, a whirlpool that had been formed unnaturally, being sustained by a different source.

Ewan's eyes widened, before his face lit up with his first true smile in months. "Thank you…" he murmured. "Thank you…."

………………

A/N: I am so sorry! I haven't updated in so long, and this chapter is so short! I'm posting it now (when it's really only half done) to remind people I haven't abandoned it and that it does have a plot.

Okay, I just have one other reason to post this: you now have three choices for the final Ed pairing:

EdWinry

Ed-RosetteChrono (as in Ed loves Rosette, who is and always will love Chrono- not Ed)

EdRoy (which I'm only keeping open because people have asked for it, and I like it)

If you want any of these to be the final pairing, inform me in a review, and that's how I'll write it- majority rules.

I'll try and update much faster (and with a much longer chapter) next time. R & R!


	6. Chapter 6

_Disclaimer: I'm writing a disclaimer, which means I'm disclaiming something. I'm writing a fanfic. FANfic. Put it together, people._

A/N: OMFG! I updated. I can't believe it. I'm so sorry that it's been SSSSOOOO long. I hope that this chapter is good enough to make up for the LLLOOONNNGGG wait. Again, sorry. So now, please just enjoy chapter six!

**Chapter Six**

A tense silence reigned in Sister Kate's office as the gathered few waited anxiously for Father Remington to appear. As the head of the convent paced the floor, the Elder and the rather confused pair of Azmaria and Joshua watched, careful to stay out of the path of the irate woman.

It had been the late priest himself that had called for the meeting, stressing the urgency of the matter they had to discuss. Though it had not been said, those who had been told had understood the underlying insinuation of Chrono and Rosette's involvement.

"What could possibly be detaining Father Remington? Was it not he who called us here at this obscene hour?" asked Sister Kate angrily, though the question was directed at no particular person. And, truly, the hour was late. The ornate grandfather block to the side of the head nun's office read quarter past one in morning by the dim lamplight.

Just as Sister Kate opened her mouth to continue her complaints, the door to her office was swung open, and Remington's ruffled figure walked inside. "I'm sorry for my tardiness, but it took my quite a bit longer than expected to find the book I was searching for," he murmured, laying down the aforementioned tome on Kate's desk.

Twitching almost imperceptibly, Kate snapped, "And just what is so important about this book? From what I see, it's just a dusty old volume; judging by the writing on the front, it's not even in English. What is this, German?"

The Elder picked up the old book, examining its covers studiously. "No, it's definitely not German, though the language does seem to have so common factors with it. But, still, I don't recognize it. I would say it's an ancient language, but it's using modern number systems. Just where did you get this, Remington?"

"Let's just say, I came across it a long while ago," said the priest cryptically. "To answer your questions, Sister Kate: the Elder was right, it's not German; it is very old; and it quite relevant. You see, this book was the missing clue sent to me so we could find Rosette and Chrono. Well, in a sense, at least."

For the first time, Azmaria spoke. "Really? We can see Chrono and Rosette again- how can we find them using that book, will it take very long? And--"

Remington's smile now seemed sad. "As I said, Azmaria, "in a sense." We now know where they are, and I'm relatively sure I know how they came to be there, but they'll have to find their way back on their own. We cannot follow them where they've gone to."

Azmaria looked stricken. "But… why? If we know where they are, then _why_ can't we go to them?"

Biting his lip, Joshua spoke quietly. "Maybe it's because… they're _gone_, Azmaria." Though he did not like suggesting it to the girl he considered his friend, he was relatively sure of his assumption. His memories of his sister and Chrono may have been shaky, but he was hurt by the thought of their loss as well.

As tears leaked from her eyes, Azmaria shook her head wildly, protesting against the very consideration of their deaths. "No! It's not possible! Rosette and Chrono are the two strongest people I know! They couldn't be dead… right, Father Remington?" asked the girl imploringly, gazing up at the man as if his word alone could keep them alive.

He sighed. "Both of you are wrong, in a way. Chrono and Rosette are indeed not among us in this world anymore-" there were several sharp intakes of breath "- but they are not yet dead, either. They have been taken before there time, into another place- another world altogether.

"You all know what purgatory is: the land the dead are sent to have they not done good with their lives, yet have not either done evil. In that place of in between, those spirits lose themselves, never being able to rejoin with mankind among the astral plains, and become heartless, demonic creatures that tear and any newcomer they devour.

"But there is more to it than that, even," continued Remington. "Purgatory is not only the in between for souls, but also for worlds. There are two sides: ours, and the other world- Shamballa, as some call it. The link between the worlds is known as the Gate- the knowledge giver, and also the window to hell. I believe Rosette and Chrono were passed through this Gate when they died and, being deemed to pure, were simply spat out on the other side."

The Elder, being the only one crazy enough to accept this without question, was the first to ask a question. "But why were they there in the first place? If they were pure, wouldn't they simply go to heaven- forget the side trip?"

Remington's brows furrowed together. "I can't be sure, but… I believe that they may have been put there purposely so they would be taken to the other side."

Sister Kate's eyes widened. "You don't mean…?"

Remington nodded. "Yes. I mean exactly that. Apparently, God doesn't wish for their troubles to end just yet."

………………

Despite the merriments of those around him, Chrono found himself distracted early on in the dinner. He kept only half and ear open for the conversation of others, his senses totally dominated by Hoenheim of Light.

The man had not seemed at all impressive on first glance; though tall and handsome, he seemed not to be any sort of incredible. Chrono most likely would've passed him over without much as a second glance in a crowd were it not for the aura he felt around him.

The very air surrounding Hoenheim seemed to _distort_, and there was a strong scent of perfume just barely covering a foul stench that reminded him of decay. It was almost as if his very presence was unnatural, and Chrono's senses were screaming warnings at him, making his shoulders tense and his fists clench.

Yet, despite this, Chrono was sure that Hoenheim was human. Despite his unsettling aura, there had been no indicator to suggest otherwise, and his children were most definitely not demonic.

So that made Chrono wonder, what exactly was Hoenheim?

………………

Casually, Roy cast a glance towards the two he had seen with the Elric brothers. Once or twice before he had tried to ask Ed about them, but the stubborn pipsqueak (Ed suddenly turned around and glared at him through the window; Roy shuddered) hadn't let out any information on them. It made Roy wonder if they had a reason to cover something up, or if Ed simply hadn't known anything.

From his position to the left of the window, it was hard to see them clearly. Still, the boy's long, bright purple (Roy wondered where he'd gotten the dye) stuck out clearly, and his bright red eyes also called his attention. The girl was also attention grabbing, but for a different reason- Roy probably would've flirted with her had it not been for the way she kept glancing at her companion. It clued him in that his attempts most likely wouldn't have been welcomed.

"It's peaceful here, quiet," said Hoenheim. The light reflected off of his glasses, hiding his eyes, and making his friendly smile seem fake.

Suddenly, Ed got up and started shouting something at Winry (it sounded suspiciously like "I AM NOT A BEAN!", but Roy wasn't sure), who in turn through a conveniently placed wrench at the angry boy's head. He slumped back into his chair, clutching his head and groaning painfully.

"Well," Hoenheim amended, "in a way. I've been traveling for a long time, so home seems so anyways. Besides, this country is great! Its rulers are as fair and uncorrupt as always, right?"

Roy felt as if Hoenheim was mocking him. He frowned, and looked away from the older man. It was quiet for a while.

"Ed and Al's friends seem nice, don't you think? I've never met them before, but they do give off the impression," said Hoenheim suddenly. His voice was quiet, solemn, belying the levity of his words. "But the boy, he has a look in his eyes… the look of someone who has seen too much, done too much, and not come out unscathed. An old look."

Roy looked back to Hoenheim. The blond man had his hands folded, his elbows resting on his knees, and his head hanging down. It seemed almost as if a great weight had been placed on his back, and he was struggling to rise under it. "You should never trust someone that lives that long…" he murmured. His eyes rose to meet Roy's. "No one."

Roy only nodded. The porch fell back into silence.

………………

Dinner had died down, and now everyone was beginning to settle it. Rosette and Chrono were a little lost, neither knowing there was around the house, or even the majority of the people around them.

A very small woman with a stern but kindly face smirked up at them. "I suppose you might not know, but I'm Pinako. This is my house. You can stay here for a while, if you like—I'm not going to ask you for payment, but maybe you could help out a bit while you're here," she told them. "For starters, you two can do the dishes. I'll show you to your rooms afterwards."

The two nodded. This was something they were used to: Rosette's antics often got them kitchen duties.

"Hey, Chrono," asked Rosette, "do you think we'll be here for very long?"

Shrugging, he responded, "I'm not really sure. We don't know how we got here, and we haven't had a chance to ask Edward and Alphonse about it yet. Why?"

"I guess I'm just a little worried about Azmaria and them," said Rosette. "I mean, I thought I'd never see them again, and now, I have the chance! I guess I wish we could just get this over with and go home."

Chrono laid a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sure everything's jake! They're strong; they can last a little while longer without us."

Rosette smiled at the small devil. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

They stood like this a moment longer, before a clearing throat interrupted them. They both blinked, before turning and blushing. Pinako stood there, holding a smoking pipe to her lips. "Those dishes aren't going to do themselves you know," she said, a taunting cheer in her voice. They nodded again, and turned to the sink, busying themselves with the menial chore.

………………

It was a rote process they had going. Every time they saw each other they'd argue, insult each other, and hold awkward conversations about how his automail was holding up. Then, she'd ask him what was happening. He'd lie, tell her everything was alright, even when they both knew it wasn't. It was their routine, and Ed expected it would continue that way for a long while.

So did she. Even as she stood there, tears welling up in her eyes as she watched him try to be strong, try to pretend that nothing was the matter with him, with Al, she knew that she wouldn't be the one to break the tradition. She would ask, but she knew he wouldn't tell. Sometimes, she wasn't sure she really wanted him to. But Winry knew, Ed needed someone to show they cared enough to interfere, so she did.

Schieszka was a welcome distraction. The girl seemed to know when Winry wanted- needed- her to prattle on about the latest book in her mystery series, when Winry needed her to just keep talking so as to drown out the voices in her own mind scolding her about letting Ed go, about never trying hard enough, about not caring enough.

Al was Ed's distraction. His little brother was his world, his everything, and he needed it to stay like that. He couldn't stray from his goal, and if he let someone else in, he might do that. So he needed to keep himself focused on Al, so he wouldn't have to hate himself for ever forgetting him.

So they both kept telling themselves that everything would end soon, and that there wouldn't be a need for them to continue ignoring themselves. That if they could just be patient it would all end. It was a hard hope to handle, but they would deal. They had for a long while.

………………

A/N: Oh, it's over already? Well, that's about as long as I was aiming for, so I hope you all enjoyed it. Also, sorry for the crap EdWin. I don't read it, so I don't really have any old material to work with. Also, I'm sorry if it's never really a big focus, because A) I can't write romance, and B) I'm trying to have this fic focus more and Chrono and Rosette, and I'm already struggling with that majorly. Putting Ed and Winry in as a main focus would kill me.

Also, I'm sorry to say you shouldn't expect regular updates. In order to maintain this fic, I'm writing sporadically and need to be inspired to write well. The good news is there's almost no way that it'll take me half as long to get out the next chapter now that I'm OFF HIATUS! WOOT!


End file.
